Apocalypse
by Autumn273
Summary: It's hard to believe it's been twelve years since the world was normal. Ever since the Ender Dragon took over, nothing's been the same. I've been living in an apocalyptic Overworld since I was four years old. Now I'm sixteen, and I thought I was the only one left. How was I supposed to know there was a whole civilization of survivors living in the Nether?
1. Past Memories

It's hard to believe that it's been twelve years since the world was normal. Even though it's been so long, I still remembered it like it was yesterday. I was so young. I couldn't have been much older than four years old. So innocent and ignorant to the dangers of my world...but that all changed on that fateful day. The day my world ended...and the era of Apocalypse began.

I had been playing in my backyard. We had a small house but it's not like we needed it to be big. After all, it was just my father and me. I remember him to be a kind, compassionate man who always tried to look on the bright side of things. I wasn't quite sure what he did for a living. I believe it had something to do with exploring the secrets of Minecraftia? But none the less, he was a great father. Despite not having my mother, he did an excellent job in raising me. However, it saddens me that I can't even recall his face. His features have blurred together in my memories, covered by the fog of time.

Our village was small but friendly. Everyone would greet you with a smile and you could easily strike up a conversation with any one of them. Not many people lived there but it was the type of town that had everything you needed. There was a library, blacksmith, butcher, baker, school, church and farm. We were a very modest town. It was always so peaceful and full of wonder. Life was perfect for us in Obsidian Heights. Until...THEY came.

All of a sudden, the sky grew dark and the sun turned blood red. I remember being scared and wanting to cry. I looked at my father and he wore an unreadable expression which seemed to be a mix of fear, rage and awe. Then all those expressions faded into worry when he saw what was coming. I looked up and witnessed something terrifying.

A large, maleficent creature soared beneath the crimson sun, its long, sleek, midnight wings cut through the sky. It had scales as sharp as knives with a charcoal tail snapping at the wind like a whip. As it let out a mighty roar, I could see its violet eyes burn with hatred and hunger for power while it bore the shining sabers known as its fangs. Only now do I know the name of this revolting beast. The Ender Dragon, emperor of Endermen and ruler of a land only spoken of in legends...the End.

I felt someone grab my hand and drag me away from where I had been standing. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw my father running towards the house. Pure, unrelenting determination coursing through his body as he sprinted toward home. Once we had arrived, he frantically started to throw all of our possessions into two bags.

"Daddy? What's going on? Where are we going Daddy?" I asked in a frightened, shy voice.

"We're going on a trip sweetie. Just for a little while. It'll be fun," He said with a nervous smile. He was trying so hard to stay calm, for my sake.

"But I don't want to leave Daddy! I want to stay here!" I pouted.

He knelt down, putting his hands firmly on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes. "Autumn, listen to me. It's not safe here anymore. What's coming is something that will change the Overworld as we know it. I know it's a little hard to understand, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that?" He asked with a serious tone. I could tell, even at such a young age, that what my Father was afraid of was bad.

I nodded and let him continue to toss our belonging into the bags. When he had finished, he handed one bag to me and I strapped it onto my back, reeling a bit from the weight. Then opening a chest one final time, he pressed something cold and hard into my hands. I looked down and saw a silver dagger resting on my palms.

"Use it only when you need it most, ok?" He told me.

I nodded, managing a weak smile, "Ok Daddy. I promise." My hands shook as I grasped the handle.

He pulled me in a hug, tears streaming down both our faces as we just stayed in each other's embrace. A large crash from outside snapped us back to reality, all too soon. We quickly collected our things and burst through the door to see our town being attacked by tall black creatures with violet eyes like the dragon. One of them spotted us and let out an inhuman screech as it disappeared and reappeared in front of us.

"Autumn, get behind me, NOW!" He shouted, quickly pulling out a diamond sword from his bag.

I did as he said and hid behind his leg. Peeking out from behind it, I saw my father thrust the sword into where the creature's heart would have been. It screamed and felt to the ground, lilac eyes becoming lifeless as a wet, sticky, plum colored liquid leaked from its chest. I was shocked. It was blood! My father, a kind, gentle and peaceful man had just ruthlessly killed something in cold blood. "Daddy? What was that thing?!" I cried, my voice growing soft and fearful.

He stiffened and looked down at me in shock, as if just remembering I was there. He sighed, "It's called an Enderman. It's very dangerous and you must never look in it's eyes,"

"Why?" I asked.

"Because it will attack you if you do," He replied grimly, "Come now, we don't have much time!" He grabbed my hand and began to run towards the large mountain on the edge of town.

I looked around and noticed other people doing the same. Men running carrying as much stuff as possible, women holding babies, children being dragged along by parents or siblings, teenagers trying to comfort younger kids, all while sprinting towards Mount Mojang. I looked back and once again saw the dragon, this time breathing a scorching, amethyst flame onto the abandoned buildings, setting them on fire. Terror struck my heart as I faced forward and began to run a little faster.

"HELP! SOMEONE! PLEASE!"

My father and I stopped and looked back to see a man trapped beneath a fallen tree. He was frantically struggling, trying to lift the tree so he could escape. Fear was apparent in his eyes as he screamed his lungs out for someone to help free him. Without a second thought, we ran toward him.

"Hang on! We're coming!" My father shouted as we swiftly approached him. "Autumn, stand back,"

I stepped over to his right, never taking my eyes of the man. My father, with the help of this man, carefully lifted the fallen tree off of its unfortunate victim.

"Thank you. Thank you so much!" The man whispered, his voice sore from screaming so much, "I thought I was dead for sure."

"Don't mention it," My father replied, " Now let's..."

CRACK! That sounded like...We looked up to see a burning tree falling towards us. My reflexes took control and before I knew it, the tree was aflame on the ground in front of me. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and looked around. Wait, where was Dad? "Daddy?" I cried out, "Daddy where are you? Daddy!"

"Autumn, I'm here! Where are you?" He shouted, fear and worry in his trembling voice.

It sounded like his voice came from the tree! Moving closer to it, I called out, "Daddy! I'm right here!"

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes!" I replied. I looked around, trying to find a way past the giant burning hunk of wood in front of me.

"Can you find a way out?" My father asked.

"No! Daddy, what do I do?!" I cried, fear slowly creeping its way into my heart.

He was quiet for a moment, which almost made me think that he had abandoned me but then...

"Autumn...run," he said.

"What!?" I exclaimed, "I can't just leave you!"

"Autumn! Listen to me! It's not safe and we don't have much time! I promise we'll find each other! But you have to go! NOW!"

"But... Daddy, I..." I stammered. I couldn't just leave him!

"RUN! GO NOW!" He shouted.

Looking back one more time at what was left of Obsidian Heights, I did as he said. I ran. I ran as fast and as far as I could. Hearing the screams and cries of the destruction of my village fading, until all I could hear was my own footsteps and heavy breathing. Still, I kept running. I ran until I could run no more and collapsed in a sobbing heap.

" _Why did this have to happen to me?"_ I thought as tears streamed down my eyes. _"Obsidian Heights, my dad, everything I had before this is gone, and...I don't know if I'll ever get it back."_

I don't know how long I was like that, but by the time I had finished crying the sun had begun to set. The sky had already become a deep orange and it wouldn't be long before nightfall came. Slowly, I wiped my tears away as I tried to stand up.

"OW!" I exclaimed. I looked down at my right hand to discover that I had cut myself.

 _"But on what?"_ I wondered. I looked around to see what had caused my injury and my eyes fell to something glistening in the sunset.

I gasped. Laying in the dirt, was a silver dagger, reflecting the fading sunlight. "Daddy's dagger," I whispered as I picked it up.

Using my shirt, I cleaned off the blood from the blade and held it close to my chest, careful not to cut myself again. This was all I had left if my father. It gave me hope. Hope that someday, everything would be alright.

I got up onto my feet, clutching the dagger in my hand. Slipping the straps of my bag off my back and placing the backpack on the ground, I rummaged through it to find something I could use to stop my cut from bleeding. I may have been only four years old, but I still knew how to take care of myself if I ever got injured, thanks to Dad.

 _"Dad,"_ I thought, tears starting to well up in my eyes, _"No! No crying! It's not safe! After I fix my boo-boo, I have to find someplace I can stay for the night."_

I found a first aid kit. Carefully, I wrapped a bandage around my right hand, which was tricky since I wasn't left handed.

"That'll have to do," I sighed. It wasn't the best but I could manage. I'd have to manage. I packed up the first aid kit and put my backpack on again. Grabbing his...my dagger, I headed off, looking for safety. Life would never be the same again. And neither would I...

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A/N: Hey Guys! Autumn273 here and welcome to my first fanfiction! This is not my first time writing stories or fanfictions, just the first time I'm posting one! I hope you guys liked it! Remember to leave a review and share your thoughts or any questions you have for me. I would love to see what you think and I'm always open to advice! Yes, I am continuing the story but don't expect a regular update schedule. I have plenty more story ideas so you haven't seen the last of me. See you guys in the next chapter! Bye!


	2. Back to Where You Began

A/N: Hey Guys! Autumn273 here! I'm back with another chapter of Apocalypse! Before it begins I'm going to take some time to respond to the reviews I got for the first chapter.

TemUltimate: Hoi! Don't worry, I will! See, here's your second chapter!

Jewel moonstone: I'm glad you enjoy my writing! Hope I can continue to entertain you!l

ImALazyProcrastinator: Right away, I knew I was going to get this so let me explain. This is the world of Minecraft/Minecraftia. It's a world of survival. Therefore, the people living there are trained in combat, basic first aid, and other surivial skills, even at the age Autumn was. The people living there also possess the basic instinct to survive. In their world, it's kill or be killed. I also like to think that Autumn had...special...preparation for this event. However, I did go back and check her dialogue in Chapter 1. I found one line that I felt was too complex for a 4 year old so I changed it. As for the reason she may not have been crying a lot, I think at first she didn't really understand what was going on, and she finally understood what was happening when she lost her father and had to go off on her own. That's when she cried for at least an hour. Anyways, I'm glad you liked it!

Okay! This is the moment you've been waiting two months for! Onto Chapter 2!

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I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. "I can't afford to get lost in the past, it's too risky. You never know when a monster might be lurking." I said, mentally slapping myself for wasting so much precious time.

I had stopped by a creek to refill my canteen with fresh water. Carefully, I screwed the top off and dipped the container into the stream, letting the water flow freely into it.

 _"Why did I recall that memory now? It's been twelve years!"_ I wondered before quickly shaking my head and returning to the task at hand. When I felt that I had enough, I closed the lid tightly and returned my canteen to my bag.

Slinging my satchel over my shoulder, I took one last look at the river and resumed my trek.

I sighed, "Being on the road can be so exhausting."

That's how my life has been these past twelve years. Constantly on the run, never staying in one place for too long. On a never ending quest of survival, I've learned to adapt to my surroundings. I won't deny that it's tough, but that's just the way things are. I've had to fight through thick and thin to get to where I am now. Only one thing has keep me going all these years...

I stopped and pulled out my weapon. This dagger, given to me by my father had helped me stay alive on my quest to reunite with him. It had given me hope that one day, I would find him and we could restore the life we once had. Hope that I wouldn't be alone anymore.

I gazed at it with a melancholy expression. Its once shiny, smooth blade had dulled and become scratched up. The handle was loose and flimsy; it seemed like it could snap off at any moment. The whole thing felt brittle and I was afraid it would break. Father told me to use it only when I needed it, but I've needed to use it a lot. This dagger has gotten me through a lot of close calls, however I've been way too careless with it. I couldn't let it break. The second this blade shatters, I knew I'd lose all hope of ever having a happy ending.

I sighed, returning my weapon to its scabbard.

"I'll just have to try and avoid fighting any monsters for now." I declared.

 _"Easier said than done,"_ I thought.

I continued walking. There was something that bugged me about where I was. It all seemed so...familiar, as if I had been here before. A sense of unease washed over me, but it was quickly replaced with relief when I saw what was in front of me.

A small town lay about a mile ahead. This was a welcoming sight! A town meant food, shelter, supplies and maybe even...people. I broke into a sprint, my weary smile widening, racing towards what could be considered a miracle in this broken world. As I got closer, everything started to become more and more familiar to me until I was only a few feet away. Suddenly, I skidded to a halt, eyes widening in shock and realization.

I knew why everything felt so familiar to me now. I was in Obsidian Heights. I was home.

I can't believe it! After twelve years, I had returned to the place where it all began.

"This is...where...everything fell...apart," I said, panting.

However, my shock was soon replaced with disappointment. There was no way anyone lived here anymore.

 _"Which means...I'm still..."_

"Alone," I sighed, finishing my thought aloud. I should have known. It's been twelve years since I saw another person and I'm starting to believe that I'm the only one left.

"No! I can't think that way!" I shouted, banishing the thought to the back of my mind. "He's out there somewhere. He has to be. He wouldn't break his promise."

Taking a shaky breath, I took a step into the place that I had once called home.

The damage the Ender Dragon and his Endermen had inflicted on Obsidian Heights had been catastrophic. Its buildings that had seemed so high and mighty when I was younger were now in ruin.

Looking to my left, I could see the blacksmith, or what was left of it. Its cobblestone walls had been reduced to rubble, ivy grew along and in its cracks. The windows were shattered and glass had been scattered everywhere. Near the entrance of the building stood an old anvil next to the forge. Amongst the rubble, I spotted an old chest. Careful not to burn myself in the pool of lava leaking from the forge, I made my way towards the chest.

Opening it, I found it held 3 pieces of iron and an apple.

 _"Maybe I could use this to repair my dagger..."_ I thought, tucking my newfound treasures into my bag.

It was hard to collect materials in this world. They were either too rare or I didn't have the time and tools required to get them. So scavenging had become key to my survival. I was always on the lookout for anything that could be of use to me.

Turning towards the next building on my right, I approached the only building I could see that still looked intact. It was the library.

The damage had been done. It's once beautiful birch wood walls were burnt and charred. The glass pane windows were cracked and shattered. It's foundation was crumbling and the roof had collapsed. It was a miracle that it was still standing! I carefully proceeded through the empty doorway. I was greeted by a variety of destroyed bookshelves. Most of the books were either ruined or unreadable.

I sighed, "Looks like there's nothing here..."

I was about to leave when my eye caught sight of a chest and slowly made my way towards it. Inside, I found a small assortment of books that had only been slightly charred.

I looked them over. One was titled, _"The History of Minecraftia."_ Probably needed an update. There was another titled, _"Everything you need to know about Monsters."_

"These could be useful," I muttered, placing them in my bag.

However, one book in particular snared my attention. It was small, with a slightly burnt leather cover and a emerald green bookmark peeking out over its worn pages. It looked to be a journal of some sort.

Curious, I opened the front cover and began to read.

"This journal belongs to..." the part of the page that had this person's name on it seems to have been torn out.

"Interesting," I remarked with a smile. This had stroked my burning curiosity. Who was the author? Maybe this could answer some of my questions? I wanted to delve deeper into the secrets of this journal but a sudden hiss from outside froze me in my tracks.

"Creepers," I growled, quickly stuffing the book into my satchel and drawing my dagger from its sheath.

Out of all the monsters I had to face on a daily basis, creepers were by far the worst. They were green, explosive bombs that creeped around looking for someone to blow up, that someone being me. Most monsters only become hostile during the night, but not creepers. I have to deal with them 24/7. They are such a pest! If I even try to get close to them, they explode in my face! And I couldn't risk killing it with my dagger or it might break.

I sighed, looking down at my weapon.

 _"This isn't good...I can't just sit here waiting for it to come, but if I do go on the offensive, I risk damaging my dagger."_

I looked around, trying to find something, anything I could use to fight it. My eyes fell upon a pair of twigs lying on the floor.

 _"Well, I could...ugh! But then I can't fix my dagger! There must be..."_

Another hiss, much louder this time, broke through my thoughts. I had to act fast.

I returned my blade to its scabbard. Grabbing the sticks, I rushed to the farthest corner of the room where a crafting table stood.

 _"What to make...what to make!"_

I wondered, tossing the two sticks and my iron ingots onto the table. I frantically placed the materials in the shape of an axe. The items on the table began to vibrate and move toward each other. Then, there was a bright flash of light, followed by a loud clang! When the light had faded, a brand new, shiny axe lay on the table.

I picked it up, "Not bad," I said, a satisfied smirk creeping its way onto my face. I shook my head, regaining my focus. _"I have to be careful. One wrong move and it's all going to blow up in my face, literally."_ I had a plan. The only thing left to do was to put it in action.

I bolted out of the library, creating some distance between the creeper and I. It glared at me with its cold, jet black eyes, its face in a permanent angry frown. It stood tall, letting out an annoyed hiss before advancing. It creeped towards me, getting closer and closer. I couldn't help but be slightly intimidated by its size. I was only taller than it by a foot or so. Gritting my teeth, I waited for the right moment to strike.

When it came into arms length, I used the axe to slice into it. It cried out as its camo skin started to release a smoke colored powder. I jumped back, making sure it wouldn't have the chance to explod _e._ The creeper hissed once again, enraged. It came at me again and I used the axe to take another hit at it. Once again, I jumped back after striking it. More powder poured from its body as it let out a roar of pain.

I repeated this process for a while. Waiting for the creeper to charge at me, piercing it with my axe, then jumping back before the monster had a chance to attack. Until finally, with one last hiss, it fell to the ground and became nothing more but a pile of dust, or should I say, gunpowder. Creepers were, after all, nothing more than a living bomb.

 _"That took a lot more out of me than I expected..."_ I thought, panting.

I continued to explore the abandoned town. Many of the building were so burned, they were unrecognizable, and there wasn't much that could be of any interest or use to me. However, as I approached a small house, I sensed something...familiar about it. Examining the outside of the house further, I felt like it was special.

 _"Might as well see what's inside,"_ I thought.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped inside. Memories began to flood my mind of the time I had spent in this place. Walking to here from school, eating dinner with my father after came back from his work, having over friends whose faces have blurred and names I've forgotten. My eyes began to flood with tears as I came to my realization. It was my house. It was my home.

I looked around. Things haven't really changed but...it was hard to see my childhood home destroyed. I saw the kitchen where my father and I would cook dinner together whenever he got home late and where he would always make me breakfast before school. On Saturdays, I wanted to make chocolate chip cookies and he would help me find all the ingredients. We both would make a big mess because Dad was so clumsy. He would drop an egg, spill the milk or knock over a bowl full of flour and I would burst out laughing and say, "Daddy, you're so silly!" And I always snuck a little of the cookie dough away when he wasn't looking and ate it.

I saw the dining room table where my Dad and I would eat together. During dinner, he would always ask about my day and I would tell him everything about what I learned and all the crazy adventures I went on with my friends. It was where we would be when he was helping me with what little homework I had. It was where he had treated my cuts and scrapes with a first aid kit and taught me how to do it myself. It was where he would bring out my birthday cake for me and my friends. We would sing happy birthday and I got to blow out all of the candles. Then, I'd get to open all of the presents my friends had given me. But after everyone left, Dad would give me his present and it was always the best.

I saw the living room where I would play with my toys and wait for Daddy to come home. Sometimes, I worried that something might have happened to him and he wasn't coming back. But every night, he'd come though that door and I'd run up to him, jump into his arms and give him a big hug. He would always feel bad that he came home late but I just said, "That's ok Daddy! You're home and that's what matters!" Then he'd laugh and say, "Why don't we get started on dinner Sweetheart?"

I was in a daze, lost in the river of memories that flowed though my head. I felt my feet begin to move on their own, guiding me up the stairs. Soon, I had walked all the way up the stairs into the room I had shared with my father. My bedroom.

I saw my room where my Dad had spent precious time trying to put me to bed. Where he would drag me, kicking and screaming to the bathroom so I could take my evening bath. Where he would help me brush my hair and pick out my outfit for the day. He would always read me a bedtime story and I'd be so tired afterwards I'd just fall fast asleep in his arms. Whenever I had a nightmare, he would rush to my side and comfort me. He would always say, "Don't worry Autumn, I'm here. Everything's all right. It was just a dream," and he would stay with me until I calmed down and fell back asleep.

How I wished these past twelve years had been just a nightmare. One that I would wake up from any minute now. My Dad would be there, telling me everything's gonna be alright.

But I knew all too well that this wasn't a dream. This was real and this was my reality.

My heart was heavy with sadness, warm streams of tears gliding effortlessly down my face as I stood staring at what had once been a place of happiness for me. I couldn't bear to stay here any longer! I turned to leave when I caught sight of something.

It was my old mirror. It had shattered and some on the glass was missing. But even in the cracked reflection, I could see her. The girl staring back at me through the mirror.

I gazed into her chestnut brown eyes which had a faint shadow underneath them. They say eyes are the gateway to the soul, but hers only seemed to carry sorrow. Her nose was small, slightly crooked to the right and had a small sunburn on its tip. Her lips were a pale pink and cracked. She placed a hand over her cheek. Her sun-kissed skin was rough and dry and the skin near her cheekbones was sunburnt. She ran her hands through her long, chocolate brown hair. I never really cared about looks, but I couldn't help but be in awe of her appearance.

Soon, my eyes drifted to the clothes she was wearing. She wore a v-neck, light blue t-shirt. Underneath it, she had a long sleeve chainmail chest-plate. The only way I could tell it was there, was the chainmail sleeves on her arms that cut off right before her wrists. The strap of her satchel was on her right shoulder and traveled diagonally across her body until it reached the bag that rested next to her left hip. She wore a pair of gray shorts that covered to a few inches above her knees. On her right leg, she had a leather scabbard that held a dagger clipped around her thigh, and brown leather boots covered her feet. All of her clothing was worn and torn in some places. I would consider what she was wearing rags.

There was only one thing that I recognized on her. In her hair, she wore a small, blue bow. That sky blue ribbon meant something to me. It was a symbol of the girl I had once been. The girl I was before the Ender Dragon took over. It was the hope that she was still there, fighting to get the life she knew back.

It's been so long since I've been able to get a clear image of what I looked like. I had been surprised by my own reflection. But in that moment, I had been able to remember something about that day. Something important.

On the day the Ender Dragon attacked, everyone had been running towards the mountain but I had to run the opposite way. Why did everyone run toward the mountain? What was so important about Mount Mojang?

"Maybe...there are people there!" I exclaimed.

I sprinted down the stairs and out the door. I ran, making my way towards Mount Mojang.

 _"There has to be something there! Why else would everyone run towards it?"_ I thought, as the mountain grew closer and closer.

Once I had arrived, I began to scale the mountain. I climbed up and up, my hopes raising higher and higher.

Suddenly, my foot slipped and I lost my grip on the rocks. I fell, my hands frantically clawing at the rocks looking for anything I could grab onto. I managed to find something and clutched onto it. It was long and felt wooden. Maybe I had grabbed onto the roots of a tree? However, I soon heard a strange click and then found myself falling once again.

I hit the ground, hard. "Ow...that's gonna leave a mark," I groaned, painfully. I hadn't gotten very far up the mountain so luckily, I didn't break any bones, but it still hurt.

I tried to stand up but a sudden shot of pain in my left ankle caused me to retreat back to the ground.

"Ouch, of all the times to get hurt! Ow..." I moaned.

I closed my eyes, laying on the ground for a few moments, just embracing the pain.

When I reopened them, I caught a glimpse of a glowing violet light. Curious, I gritted my teeth and stood up.

I began limping towards the strange light, groaning in pain and gritting my teeth as I moved closer.

Soon, I reached the source of the light. I gasped! What stood before me was something I had never seen before. Hidden in the dirt was a strange device. It had a frame made of obsidian but what I found interesting was that the frame seemed to be a gateway of some sort. The frame was filled with amethyst swirls, all spinning in different directions. I was mesmerized by the sight.

"That's strange, I could have sworn this wasn't here before. Where did it come from?" I wondered aloud, "More importantly, where does it lead to?"

My mind ran amuck with questions and theories about this strange portal. What is it? Why didn't I notice it before? Could this be why everyone had been running towards the mountain?

All my thought soon came to an abrupt halt when I felt someone place a hand on my back. I froze, I had been curious about the portal, I completely let my guard down! I tried to turn around and see who or what was behind me but I only caught a glimpse of a few locks of raven hair.

 _"Hair? Human hair! Could it be?"_

But before I get a better look at them, I was pushed forward, straight into the portal. My vision was filled with lavender and lilac swirls. The swirls began to spin faster and faster. I felt dizzy, disoriented, and a little nauseous. I couldn't focus on anything. All I could see were the swirls spiraling around. Then everything went black.

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A/N:Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Sorry it took so long. Second chapters have always been really hard for me to do. Completing the second chapter of a story means that I'm making a commitment to see this story to its conclusion. There's only one other story that I've completed the second chapter to. I believe that this chapter is longer than the first so I hope it was worth the wait! Remember, leave a review and let me know what you think of this chapter. I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing so criticism is welcome. See you guys in the next chapter!


	3. A Meeting with the King

A/N: Hey guys! Autumn273 here and I'm back with Chapter 3 of Apocalyse! Finally! It took WAY too long! Before we begin, I'm going to answer a few of the reviews from the last chapter.

ImALazyProcrastinator: I'm glad you liked the last chapter. It was a bit difficult to write because it was the first time I have written a complete chapter that had no characters interact through dialogue. That was easily rectified in this chapter ;)

Kay: Thanks but this isn't my first time writing a Fanfiction or story. Just the first time I'm posting one online.

belladog2524: Hi friend!

Leave a review with any questions or comments you have and I'll answer them in the next chapter! Now, without further ado, Chapter 3!

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It felt like I had been walking for hours, and there was still no sign of anything I could use for shelter. The cut on my right hand stung, which caused me to wince in pain every so often. I cradled my wounded hand using my other arm, clutching my dagger in my left hand as I continued to search for a place to stay for the night.

In my head, my thoughts were in a frenzy, _"What do I do? I don't know where to go! I don't know how to do all of this stuff yet! Ack! No, Autumn, calm down. Just focus on finding a place to stay for the night."_

I took a deep breath, relaxing myself. That's right, I can do this. I just needed to find a place to stay.

The familiar scenery of Obsidian Heights has long disappeared. The savanna plains and acacia trees I had grown accustomed to faded into a dense forest. The trees were so different from the ones back at home. Their bark wasn't gray but brown or white with black stripes, and they didn't branch out as far. The grass was greener, as were the leaves. A cool breeze rushed by, causing a shiver to run up my spine. Even the temperature was different, much colder than I was used to.

I couldn't help but be in awe of my new surroundings. Half of me wanted to explore, the other half was too scared of what dangers the growing darkness would bring. This battle between fear and curiosity continued for a while, until my curiosity got the better of me and I ventured off into the unknown.

Curiosity can be both a blessing and a curse. In this case, I got lucky. After a few minutes of wandering around I came across a small cave. Seeing this, I could help but feel a smile grace my face.

 _"Finally! I can rest!"_

I ran towards the cave, dropping my bag at the entrance. Opening it, I pulled out an apple and took a bite into it. I couldn't help but sigh as the sweet juices filled my mouth. I took a few more bites of my apple, savoring the taste. As my mind ran through the events that had happened today, I felt rage begin pierce my heart.

"Dumb Endymen! Why did they have to do that? Don't they know it's not nice to ruin someone else's town?" I growled, pouting as I took another bite. I hadn't had anything to eat since this whole ordeal began! I kept munching on my apple, each bite slowly diminishing both my hunger and frustrations. Soon, I was only left with the core of my apple and the sadness that filled my heart.

My eyes started to water, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my cheeks. I cried myself into a restless sleep that night, carrying false hope that today had just been a simple nightmare and I would wake up tomorrow to find my life still intact.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

I gasped, awakening in a cold sweat. Was it all just a dream?

 _"No...not a dream. A memory."_ I thought to myself.

"Where am I?" I wondered aloud.

My head felt fuzzy as I tried to stand but a sudden jolt of pain in my left ankle caused me to retreat back to the ground.

"Of all the times for me to get an injury, the universe chooses now?!" I cursed under my breath, groaning in pain.

Gritting my teeth, I took in my surroundings. I was in a dimly lit room. A cell perhaps? The walls, floor and ceiling all seemed to be made out of bricks but...something about it seemed different. The bricks were mahogany and yet, they had an unnatural feel to them. Almost ominous. An iron door was hinged to the wall in front of me, which was mostly made up of iron bars.

The only source of light was the window, also blocked by iron bars, behind me. Maybe I could get a better idea of where I was by looking through it.

Grunting, I dragged myself across the floor. Somehow, I managed to pull myself up to the window but when I peered outside, I was shocked by the scenery that lay before me.

I don't know what I expected...but it certainly wasn't a flaming land filled with lava! Everything was covered in a foggy, cerise haze so the details were hard to make out, but I knew one thing. This was not normal. Even for me!

My mind ran amuck with questions. _"What happened? Where am I and how did I get here?"_ I wondered. It all seems surreal and yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was forgetting something.

Suddenly, it all came flooding back to me. Finding Obsidian Heights, the journal, my house, and the portal. That's right! The last thing l remember was being pushed into the portal by someone...human? I wasn't sure but from what I recall, it was something with a humanoid form. I didn't get a good look at it, but that was beside the point! Why did they push me through the portal?

My train of thought was broken by the sound of metal clanking on brick. Footsteps? If that was true, then whoever or whatever was approaching had armor on. I reached for my scabbard, in order to unclip it and release my dagger, but instead all I felt was the cool touch of my fingertips against skin and cloth. I grew tense. Someone had stolen my dagger! Frantically, I checked to see if my satchel had been snatched away from me too. It had. My panic was interrupted as the footsteps became louder. I growled. I could feel my body switch to offense, putting my guard up. Now I understood the situation I was in. I was a prisoner who had been stripped of my weapons and supplies. With only the clothes on my back, I had no way to escape. Now someone was coming and I was unsure of what they had planned for me. Is this why that thing had pushed me into the portal? In order to get captured? The footsteps stopped. I crawled towards the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of my captor.

"Ahh, you're awake."

I looked up to see who had spoken. Whoever stood before me was covered from head to toe in armor. It wore long iron boots, adorned with vermillion crosses on either sides of the greaves. Iron legging covered its legs, the poleyn colored a charcoal black and cuisse accented with red, forming a triangular pattern. A short sword rested on the guard's hip. A scarlet sash was wrapped around its waist and the plackark was made of chainmail. The chestplate was polished to a brilliant silver and they wore steel gauntlets streaked both black and red. To top of the look, they wore a knight helmet on their head, concealing their identity from me. I would describe the appearance of the "person" in front of me as a heroic knight. You know, if it weren't for the fact that I currently trapped in a cage!

"Who are you and why have you imprisoned me here?!" I yelled, growling.

"Feisty one aren't you? But the better question is, who are you?" The armored figure asked.

"None of your business, that's who!" I snapped.

Whoever was under the armor shrugged then replied, "I'll find out who you are soon enough. Anyways, King Nethermore wishes to speak with you."

"King?" I asked, confused. So, this "person" wasn't my captor. They were just a pawn, a servant to the true mastermind behind my imprisonment.

"Get up!" It shouted, taking out a small golden key and fiddling with the locked door. A few moments later, the door swung open and the armored figure stood over me with crossed arms, tapping their foot impatiently.

I growled and made an attempt to stand up, wincing when I put weight on my ankle. Holy Notch, that's painful! However, I didn't want to appear weak and feeble so I just gritted my teeth and proceeded to limp forward. To my dismay, it seemed to notice my discomfort.

"Um...are you ok?" The guard asked, reaching out to help.

"I'm fine...I don't need you're help!" I said, gritting my teeth and pushing their hand away. I've never needed anyone's help before and I don't need it now.

It took a step back and paused, as if to think something over then it shook its head and sighed, "Fine then. Not like it mattered to me anyways! Just try to keep up, we don't want to keep his majesty waiting."

I huffed. I wasn't going to dignify this "person" a response but I was not in the proper condition to try and escape. I wouldn't get far with my injury. Besides, I know nothing about where I am. It would be foolish to venture into this unknown plain.

 _"Best to do what it says, for now,"_ I thought, before gritting my teeth and walking out of my cell, dragging my injured leg behind me.

The guard led the way, keeping a close eye on me as I struggled to keep up with their pace. It was exhausting to do so! However, even through the pain, I couldn't help but notice a few things. One was that the material the hallways were made of were the same type of bricks in my cell. They even had the same ominous feeling to them! Although, the walls and ceiling both seemed to also be made of a strange red substance that resembled andesite. Another thing that caught my attention were the guards. While some of them were wearing armor similar to the "person" escorting me, others were not. In fact, the ones not wearing armor weren't even human! They were Pigs! Well, sort of. Instead of walking on four legs, they stood on two and their skin was rotting away, even revealing parts of their skulls and rib cages. I couldn't help but wonder if this was what all the guards looked like. Had I stumbled on some civilization of monsters? I suddenly felt defenseless. I would do almost anything to have my dagger right about now.

 _"This place is like a maze! Was I in a castle? I would assume so, since I'm being taken to see a king,"_ I thought to myself. I did my best to memorize the halls of this building so I could escape if things got...messy.

Soon, after many twists, turns and flights of stairs, we finally arrived at out destination. It was a small, made of mahogany bricks with a decorative red carpet around a strange well filled with lava in the middle of the room. The walls were adorned with black banner with a strange emblem and windows, but they were barred off and the view was blocked by molten rock. Guards stood against the walls, monitoring my every movement. In the back of the room, there was a throne made of a beautiful while stone I had never seen before. However, I was more interested in the figure that sat on it.

 _"That must be King Nethermore,"_ I thought to myself, carefully inspecting him.

He wore armor that was mostly gray and black, but had accents of silver and red. His boots and leggings were a smoky gray and a long scarlet cape rested on his shoulders and ran down his back. He wore a chainmail plackark, iron shoulder pads and gauntlets. His face was covered by a helmet which had a square indent on his forehead, inside of which was a checkered pattern. His eyes glowed a bright red, perhaps because of his helmet. Unlike his guards, whose armor was polished, his armor appeared dull and rusty. It's quite surprising attire for a king. Why doesn't he clean his armor?

Taking a glance at my outfit, I sighed, _"Guess I'm not one to judge."_

The guard who was with me grabbed my arm and led me over to the "man" sitting on the throne. Upon seeing me, King Nethermore stood up, placing his hands behind his back. He stood tall over us, examining me. His guard knelt before him.

"Don't be disrespectful! Bow before his majesty!" The guard scolded, placing a hand on my back and pushing me to the floor. I gritted my teeth when I hit the ground. Oh Notch, why do you hurt me so much!? Why me!?

"So, you're the little troublemaker. Tell me, what were you doing by the Nether portal?!" The king demanded, "You know it is forbidden to go near it."

"Oh, so that's what that thing's called? Good to know," I replied.

"Don't play dumb with me...we found you passed out in front of it," He said, a bit of annoyance in his voice.

"Of course you did! After all, it was probably one of your guards who pushed me through it!" I snapped, causing the king to do a double take.

"Through...the portal?"

"Yeah! And now I'm a prisoner in the middle of some kingdom of monsters! Gee, wonder what you have planned for me? Who cares! I won't go down easily!" I shouted, shoving the guard next to me, grabbing their weapon and ran at King Nethermore. The other guards charged at me, but I reached the king first and pressed the blade against his neck, not enough to cut him, but close enough to be a threat.

"Nobody move!" I shouted. The guards stopped. I sighed and gritted my teeth. That was a very bold move, especially with my injury which was in SEARING, ACHING, PAIN! I can't believe it worked though!

 _"Focus Autumn,"_ I thought, then taking a deep breath, I continued, "Drop your weapons or your king gets it!"

The guards backed off. I smirked then turned to the king, "Good. Now, I have a few questions for you. You're going to answer them. Alright?"

He hesitated but slowly nodded when I moved the sword closer to his neck.

"First of all, where am I? And second how do I get out of here?"

"How dare you THREATEN..."

"SHUT UP YOU MONSTER!" I interrupted. Sure, the response was harsh, but I didn't care! I had to look out for myself and I couldn't afford to let my guard down now. I had the upper hand. Besides, it did the job. The guard was silent.

King Nethermore seemed to be deep in thought. Was he trying to stall for time? Or maybe he was thinking of a way to trick me? Either way, I was getting impatient. But before I could do anything...

"Xavier, take off your helmet" the king said.

 _"Xavier? Who's Xavier?"_ I wondered. The king was braver then I thought, for when he asked "Xavier" of this, no fear was evident in his voice. The guard who brought me here stood up.

"But, my lord...I..."

"That was not a request Xavier. It was an order."

The guard named Xavier sighed, then preceded do to as he'd been told. I gripped the handle of the sword tighter. I didn't know what he was capable of but I couldn't let go of the king. If I did, I lose any power I might have in this situation.

"I don't know why you want me to do this your majesty..." The guard said as he finished removing his helmet, "...but your wish is my command."

I gawked at his appearance. He had ruffled, mop-top dark brown hair and olive skin. His eyes were different colors, one green, the other blue. He wore an expression of both concern and defiance. His nose was small and slightly pointy, and his mouth wore a scowl. He had a human face. He wasn't a monster, nor a weird pig-zombie thing, but a human!

My hands shook as I stared wide eyed at the person standing in front of me. "How is this possible? I...I thought I was...the only one left." My knees gave out and I felt to the ground, the sword slipping out of my grasp.

Xavier's scowl turned to a small frown as he approached me. He picked up his sword and pointed the blade at my chest. I did nothing to stop him. "You will face heavy charges for what you have done to our king. I deem you too dangerous to live," He declared, preparing to strike.

"Xavier! Stand down,"

Both of us turned to King Nethermore. He had...saved me?

"But...she was going to kill you!" Xavier exclaimed, casting a glare in my direction. He still held the sword close to me, threatening to pierce my heart with it.

The king simply chuckled, then turned to me, "If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?"

His question snapped me back to the reality of the situation. I can't think about this right now! Focus! I was still shocked so it was hard to find my voice again.

Xavier was dumbfounded by this question. "Her name doesn't matter! We should be focusing on more important matters, like the fact..."

"A...Autumn," I stuttered, interrupting Xavier mid-complaint, "M...my name...is Autumn."

The king paused, considering something before replying, "Just Autumn? Do you not have a last name?"

I shook my head no. "I...I don't know if I do."

"Well then, Miss Autumn. You're from the Overworld, aren't you?"

I nodded slowly, a confused expression on my face. "I...Isn't that where we are now?" I asked.

"No. In fact, we are in the Nether. It's another dimension that exists in the vast world of Minecraftia. For the past twelve years, a small human colony had been living here. We came here in the hopes of surviving this apocalypse, though we had no idea that there were still people alive in the Overworld."

I stared at the king in shock. For years, I thought I was alone and after all this time, I find out that there was a civilization of humans living in the Nether.

King Nethermore sighed and kneeled down to face me, "I see that this is a lot for you to take in. I'll give you some time to process it," Then he stood up and faced his guards. "Get the medic in here at once! We have some injuries to attend to."

I quickly glanced at my ankle. He must have noticed how uneven my balance was when I held him hostage. He's very observant. Not only that, but he had a strange change in his behavior. Just a few minutes ago, he had this strong aura of power which was intimidating, to say the least. But then, it had faded away into compassion and concern. Why? His aura of strength and power had returned, but why had it been let down in the first place? _"Who are you King Nethermore? And what is your motive for helping me?"_ I wondered.

A few of the guards saluted and quickly ran off to do what their king had asked of them. King Nethermore then turned to address Xavier.

"Xavier, I will leave it to you to make sure our guest gains proper accommodations."

"WHAT!? But sir..." Xavier exclaimed, only to be quickly cut off.

"Thato's an order, Xavier."

Xavier glared at me, slowly returning his sword to its sheath. "I still don't trust her," he muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, one of the guards rushed into the room. "Your majesty, we've just gotten word from the guards in town,"

"Yes? Go on! What is it?"

"They have a doctor, but she can't bring her equipment to the castle."

King Nethermore sighed, "Xavier, you can start by bring Miss Autumn to Respawn Point."

Xavier groaned and mumbled, "Fine," before grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the room.

I just barely heard the king whisper something.

"It seems I was right to wait here,"

Wait? Wait for what? What have I gotten myself into?

* * *

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this chapter because not only did I get to introduce some new characters but I really felt that you got to see Autumn's real personality shine through! It was fun to write her reactions to some events that took place! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to leave a review telling me what you thought of it! See you in the next chapter!

Edit: I finally got the cover art for this story up! Drawn by yours truly! But I wonder, who are these other characters? ;)


	4. First Impressions

A/N: Hey Guys! Autumn273 here and I'm back with another chapter of Apocalypse! FINALLY! I'm so sorry that this chapter took so long (~)! Honestly, I'm so nit picky with my writing that it took a while to really get this done. Not to mention real life! Anyways, before we begin I have to answer the reviews I got from the last chapter.

ImALazyProcratsinator: I KNEW as soon as I posted that chapter, that someone was going to ship Autumn and Xavier (XD)! As for whether or not that ship will sail, only time can tell. But let's just say, he may not be the only one you ship with her.

CardassianTrekkie: I haven't read many of the other Minecraft fics since none of them have caught my attention but I'm glad you like my story and Autumn's character! I'm especially proud of this character. As for your question about OC's, I will accept them as background characters which will actually help for the next chapter. So feel free to send them in! That goes for everyone!

Please, please, PLEASE leave a review and let me know what you thought about the chapter. It really helps the writing process when I know that people are reading my stories. Anyways, without further ado, I present to you Chapter 4 of Apocalypse!

* * *

Xavier, once again led me through the corridors of the castle. Well...it was more like he dragged me along. I had to hobble on my good leg just to avoid bashing my injured ankle into the ground.

"Um...where are you taking me?" I asked, wincing in pain as my ankle smashed into the ground, despite my best efforts.

"You want your bag back, don't you?" He asked, glaring back at me.

I opened my mouth to retort but quickly snapped it shut again.

 _"If he knows where my satchel is, I shouldn't annoy him...anymore than I already have,"_ I thought to myself as I let him continue to drag me though this maze of hallways.

Suddenly, I smacked face first into a door. I turned to find Xavier still gripping my arm tightly but standing behind me instead of in front. His face wore a sneaky grin.

"We're here," He said, smirking.

He did that on purpose! I growled and cast an angry glare at him but said nothing.

 _"Do it for the dagger, Autumn. I just need to get my dagger back...then I can punch him in face,"_ I thought, before gesturing for him to open the door.

Xavier stepped in front of me, not bothering to hide the cocky grin plastered on his face as he unlocked the door.

"You are so lucky I'm unarmed right now," I whispered to him before walking into the room.

The small room we just entered had chests lining every wall. I will admit, it was a little cramped so instead I opted to wait by the doorway, tapping my foot impatiently while Xavier rummaged through the chests.

After a few minutes of anxious silence, Xavier's furrowed brow and serious expression faded.

" Here, catch!" He said, tossing my satchel over his shoulder.

I ran over to catch it, immediately placing it on the ground and kneeling down to make sure everything was inside.

I didn't like to clutter my bag with anything unimportant. With the constant travel I did, I had to pack light. Couldn't afford to be slowed down. I had learned over time to only take items that were of use or interest to me. Nevertheless, I still had quite a few things in my possession.

The inside of my satchel has one main pouch with two medium sized pockets on either side. I checked the pockets first.

Inside the first one, there was my canteen as well as some food rations which consisted of a few small apples, two carrots, and various cooked meats and fishes, only a day or two old, each kind wrapped in cloth and dried in an attempt to preserve them. The second pocket held a miniature sewing kit, flint & steel, a small first aid kit, a compass, a folded makeshift map I had made while traveling, and a few packets of seeds I had come across on my journey.

I moved on to the main pouch. Inside, there were the two books I had found in the village, the strange journal, a fishing rod, a small sleeping bag, and my new axe.

Something was missing.

"Ya know, the things someone keeps in their bag can tell you a lot about the kind of person they are. This is true for you as well. You like to travel light, never taking anything you deem unimportant. You're strong. From one glance at your satchel, I can tell that you strive for one purpose. To survive. However, there's one thing I don't quite understand. Why only use one weapon?" Xavier asked, smirking as he held up my dagger. I growled and glared at him.

"I mean, using this type of weapon limits what you can do," He continued, swinging my dagger carelessly in his hands and ignoring my frustrations, "You have to engage in close-hand combat to hunt! It wouldn't be too weird if it weren't for the fact that you have no other weapons. It seems like a bow or other long distance weapon would be quite useful and yet, you only use this. Why is that?"

"Give it back," I growled, clenching my fists to stop myself from strangling him.

Xavier only gave a mischievous grin. "What? Is it important to you or something?" He taunted, dangling the dagger just inches away from my face before snatching it away again, "I honestly don't see why this dagger is so special. Just look at how beat up it is! It's so flimsy and loose that I'd say it's on its last life."

"Give it back. NOW," I demanded through clenched teeth. He was really trying my patience, which was already pretty low given what I've been through today.

"What are you gonna do? Take it back from me? You couldn't even if you tried," He sneered, holding it above his head so I couldn't reach, "You may seem tough, but you're just some weak little girl who can't even fight without her precious little dagger."

That was the last straw.

I quickly surged forward and punched him in the gut. I could tell it wasn't hard enough for serious damage but that was to be expected since he was wearing armor. The most I could have done was knock the air out of him. Besides, I wasn't aiming to hurt him, though that would be a plus. In shock, Xavier dropped my dagger and reeled back on reflex. I swiftly caught the dagger and brought it up to his neck.

"Don't underestimate me," I warned before flipping the blade and returning it back into its scabbard.

Xavier's eyes bulged in shock before he broke into a fit of coughing, trying to regain his breath and composure. I smirked.

" _That'll teach him. No one messes with me and gets away with it."_

I exited the room smugly and went out into the hall. As soon I turned the nearest corner, my smirk was quickly replaced with a grimace.

"Ow! Ugh, my Notch that hurts," I muttered under my breath, my hand reaching down to grasp my ankle. I shouldn't have moved so fast. I probably just made my injury much worse, but it was so worth it just to see the look on his face!

I sighed and slid to the ground to rest, pulling out my dagger and holding it close to my chest. " _At least I got it back, and it's still in one piece,"_ I thought, closing my eyes as a small smile of relief graced my lips.

It didn't last long. I quickly shook my head and regained my serious demeanor. Now wasn't the time to relax. I couldn't do that until I was certain it was safe. Slowly, I shakily stood up, using the wall to steady myself.

Not a moment too soon either. A few seconds after I had returned to my feet, Xavier turned the corner and glared at me.

"Shall we continue Miss Autumn?" He asked in an annoyed tone.

I nodded and we continued through the maze of corridors in the castle. Though it was still a bit difficult to walk on my ankle, I managed. At least Xavier slowed his pace a bit.

Soon, we reached a flight of stairs leading downward into a long hallway. Only this time, it was different. It was wide and stretched far beyond my sight. The walls of this hallway were made of obsidian, and were lit by yellow glowing stones, though the flooring was made up of the same mahogany bricks from before.

However, unlike inside the castle, there was a thin crimson mist in the air. It was a little hard to breathe in and irritated my throat. My eyes water and I coughed a bit from the sudden exposure to the smog, but my body was able to adjust to it. It was probably just something in this dimension that I had to get used to. But one thing was certain...

It was clear to me that we had left the castle.

We continued to walk through the long hallway until...

"Ok, so we might have gotten of on the wrong foot," Xavier started, shattering the veil of silence.

I stopped and gave him a deadpan look, "Really? And here I thought we were becoming great pals!" I replied sarcastically.

"Look, I'm not any cheerier about this then you are," He shot back, annoyed, "Why did I have to get assigned to watch the crazy girl?"

"Crazy girl?! Excuse me?" I exclaimed.

"You attacked our king! That counts as crazy in my book," Xavier said, turning to face me.

"What was I supposed to do? I wake up in a jail cell having no idea how I got there, all of my supplies have been taken from me, and I'm escorted to the leader of some hidden civilization to be interrogated! Add that to the fact that I've never saw any of the guards faces and the only faces I did see were the faces of those weird undead pig creatures..."

"Pigmen," Xavier added, interrupting mid-sentence.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Those creatures you saw before were called Pigmen. Zombie Pigmen to be precise."

I stared at him for a few seconds before shaking my head and continuing, "That's not important! Anyways, given the evidence I saw, I thought I had been captured by monsters! How was I supposed to know that there were a whole civilization of people living in the Nether?"

"You could've trusted us," Xavier replied.

I crossed my arms and scoffed at his comment, "You're joking right? Listen, when you're living in the Overworld, the only person you can trust is yourself."

He groaned, rubbing his temples in frustration before continuing, "Look, I don't like you, and you don't like me,"

"We agree on that..." I muttered under my breath.

"But," Xavier continued, ignoring my comment, "since we're going to be stuck together for a while, at least until you get settled in to our society, could we try to get along?"

I sighed. As much as I hate to admit it, he has a good point. I don't know how this town, heck, how this dimension works! I'm in an entirely foreign situation and he's the only one I know who might be able to help me.

"Fine," I begrudgingly agreed, "But I will not hesitate to draw my blade against you the next time you humiliate me."

We continued onwards, once again walking through the never ending corridor in silence.

"That dagger must be very important to you," Xavier said.

"Huh?" I asked, before realizing I was still holding my dagger, "That's none of your concern."

"Well, pardon me for asking!" He shot back, giving a frustrated sigh before continuing, "Look, I noticed it's a bit..."

I narrowed my eyes, silently warning him to choose his words wisely.

"...worn down. I thought you'd like to know that there's a blacksmith in town. Maybe, for the right price, he'll fix it for you," He said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

I stopped and stared at him. He was...being nice?

"...Thanks...I guess." I muttered.

"D...don't think anything of it! This changes nothing!" He stammered, turning away and crossing his arms, annoyed.

Suddenly, I heard a new set of footsteps coming from the direction we were heading. I pushed Xavier against the wall.

"What are you..."

"Shh! Someone's coming!" I whispered, interrupting him mid-sentence. I pressed my back against the wall, holding my left arm in front of him to keep him from running forward. I tightened my grip on my dagger, waiting for the right moment.

"Really, it's probably nothing! You're just..." He started but I shut him up by slapping my hand over his mouth.

"Will you be quiet!" I silently yelled to him. Can't even keep his mouth shut and they call him a guard!

I heard the footsteps draw closer and closer. The strange mist made it harder to see but after a while, I could make out a silhouette walking toward us. Slowly, the fog receded to reveal one of the pig-like creatures that I had seen earlier inside the castle. What had Xavier called them? Zombie Pigmen?

It didn't look different from the other Pigman. Same beady eyes, same rotting flesh and same tattered pair of brown shorts. But unlike the others, he was armed with a golden sword.

I don't know what it was, but when I saw it, weapon in hand, something inside me snapped.

Before I could even process what was happening, I charged toward it, dagger in hand. At first, I didn't hear Xavier's call. I didn't notice the look of surprise and fear on that Pigman's face. I forgot about the pain I felt in my ankle. I only felt one thing, the inexplicable urge to attack. I wanted to strike it. I wanted hurt it. I wanted to...

I felt someone grab my wrists and kick the back of my knees, causing me to collapse face-first into the ground. I turned my head to see Xavier pinning me down. I gritted my teeth and struggled, trying to escape his hold but he held onto my wrists with a cold, iron grip.

"He's not a threat,"

Those four simple words brought me back to reality. I stopped struggling and took in a shaky breath. I stared at Xavier, lost in my own thoughts. I haven't felt that kind of rage in a long time. For just a moment, I...

"Whoa! What the heck happened here?" The pigman said, strolling nonchalantly over to us. He didn't seemed fazed at all by what just happened.

Xavier sighed, "Are you alright Reuben? She didn't hurt you?"

"Of course, you stopped her before she could even lay a finger on me," Reuben replied, smiling.

Xavier rolled his eyes before turning to me, "Promise you won't hurt him?"

I nodded and he let go, getting off me as we both stood up. He cast me a warning glare, motioning for me to sheath my dagger and I did so reluctantly.

"Now that that's taken care of," he remarked before glaring at Reuben, "WHAT THE END WERE YOU THINKING?!"

"Hey, hey! I'm sorry, alright?" Reuben replied, giving a sheepish smile.

"She could have seriously hurt you! Or worse! Why didn't you do anything?!"

"Why are you getting so worked up about this? It's not like she could've done anything. You didn't even give me a chance to react!"

Xavier groaned, then gestured to Reuben, "This is Reuben Eidola, another member of the royal guard. He's second in command of my squadron."

"I'm only second to you because you have a leg up on the other soldiers! Besides, I'm far superior to you when it comes to combat."

"You wanna bet?" Xavier retorted with a smirk.

Reuben's eyes widened before he began chuckling, "Oh...are you challenging me?"

"Maybe," Xavier shrugged, "But now isn't the time. I have direct orders from the king to escort Miss Autumn here to Respawn Point."

"Direct orders? Hmm...she's an Overlander right?"

Xavier and I were taken aback.

"How...how did you know?" I asked.

"Ah! She speaks!" Rueben exclaimed, before giving a friendly smile, " I thought it was obvious. Why else would the king request for Xavier specifically to help you get settled in? It would also explain why you wanted to attack me."

"Ah, I...I see. S...Sorry about that," I said, mustering an apologetic smile.

"It's fine. You were just being cautious. It's natural. After all..." Rueben's goofy smile faded, replaced by eyes filled with sadness and a serious frown, "We all have something we need to protect."

Before I could even process this sudden change, Rueben's smile returned, almost as quickly as it disappeared. "Better not hold you up any longer. See you around Xavier!" He said, giving a wave and walking away.

But before he got too far, he turned and took one last look at me.

"And Miss Autumn? Let me be the first to say welcome to Respawn Point. I think your gonna like it here."

And with that, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the distance as the fog covered his tracks.

" _Perhaps there's more to this place then I thought,"_ I thought, looking back at where Reuben once was.

"We need to keep moving. The town's just up ahead," Xavier said, starting to walk ahead of me.

I tried to follow but as soon as I put weight on my left ankle, I let out a cry of pain and dropped to the ground.

" _Shoot! I must've made it worse when I tried to attack Rueben! Ugh! I'm such an idiot!"_

Xavier turned around to see what was taking me so long. Seeing me on the ground, he gave an exasperated sigh.

"You have got to be kidding me,"

He walked back to me and held out his hand to help me up.

I crossed my arms in protest, "I don't need any help! I'm perfectly capable of..."

"I don't have time for this," Xavier sighed, grabbing my arm and pulling me up to a standing position before putting my arm around his neck.

"HEY! Didn't you hear me? I..."

"Save it. I've had it up to here with your crap. This is taking way too long! You're just going to make your injury worse if you keep being stubborn. Besides, It's only until we get to the infirmary."

I shut my mouth, because as much as I hated to admit it, he's right. I just clenched my teeth and growled.

"Let's just go."

He nodded, and we continued forward. I hobbled along with Xavier supporting me and pretty soon, we reached the end of the long hallway.

We turned left and I was bathed in a violet glow. I shielded my eyes from the sudden bright light and allowed my eyes to adjust. What I saw shocked me.

The nether portal stood before us. It had a small quartz staircase leading up to it and was watched by two armored guards.

"I guess King Nethermore was telling the truth. I really am in another dimension."

Xavier nodded to them before turning left once more to another small quartz stairway leading to a large double door archway. He helped me up the stairs and had me lean against the doorway as he put on his helmet once again.

"We're here." He said, the helmet making his voice echo.

I reluctantly put my arm around him to support my ankle, before pushing open the door.

We had arrived in Respawn Point.

* * *

A/N: Fun fact! While I was writing this chapter, I actually sprained my left ankle just like Autumn (XD). Don't worry, I'm fine now but I was stuck on crutches for a week. First time I've ever sprained something!

Also, I'm planning on publishing the first chapter of a new story soon so keep an eye out for that! (^w^)

Anyways! Don't forget to leave a review letting me know what you think! I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing in anyway I can so I'd love to hear your critique! Remember to stay positive and always look on the bright side of things! See you in the next chapter!


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